1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polymer, a hydrophobic layer including the polymer, an article including the hydrophobic layer, and more particularly, to a polymer including a fluorinated organic group having superior hydrophobicity and stability, a hydrophobic layer including the polymer and an article including the hydrophobic layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most articles in our daily lives, such as electronic articles, household articles, and construction materials, circulate in and are used in environments in which the articles are in contact with a variety of microparticles and/or microorganisms. Microorganisms can attach to the surface of articles which are in contact with them, and the various microorganisms can in turn form microcolonies, where a microcolony can proliferate to form a macrocolony and subsequently a biofilm. Such colonies of microorganisms may cause deterioration of properties of the articles such as aesthetic properties, stability properties, and sanitary conditions. Meanwhile, when an article is used in an environment affected by temperature change, moisture in the form of for example dew and frost may also form on the surface of the article since moisture in the air may attach (e.g., by adsorption) to the surface. Such moisture present at the surface of the article may also cause deterioration in the aesthetic properties, stability properties, or the like, of the article.
To prevent damage caused by such microorganisms and moisture, research has been conducted on methods of forming a surface layer which includes inorganic antimicrobials such as Ag, Zn and Cu, or organic antimicrobials, on the surfaces of articles.
Inorganic antimicrobials, however, are not readily dispersed within such surface layers, and may cause the transparency of the layer to deteriorate. Further, organic antimicrobials have short antimicrobial efficacy time periods and therefore lack antimicrobial durability, and are further restricted by environmental regulations.
It is therefore desirable to provide an environmentally safe, nontoxic surface which can efficiently prevent microorganisms from being attached to the surface of the articles and proliferating thereon which further retains the desirable properties for the article.